Protests across Brazil call for president to quit over hush money probe

Protests across Brazil call for president to quit over hush money probe

Independent.ie

Brazilians have staged demonstrations calling for the president to step down after the supreme court opened an investigation into allegations he endorsed the payment of hush money to a jailed former politician.

Brazilians have staged demonstrations calling for the president to step down after the supreme court opened an investigation into allegations he endorsed the payment of hush money to a jailed former politician.

The accusations against President Michel Temer have plunged Latin America's largest nation into crisis yet again.

Its currency and stocks have plummeted and a series of reforms designed to pull the economy out of recession stalled.

It has been just a year since Mr Temer took over following the impeachment and removal of his predecessor, Dilma Rousseff.

Now, the calls are growing for him to be impeached or resign. The latest to join that chorus was Brazil's bar association, which voted late on Saturday to submit a request for Mr Temer's impeachment to Congress.

Unions, political parties and activists called for Brazilians to come out on Sunday to demand he step down, though protests in major cities were smaller than expected.

Hundreds of people huddled under umbrellas and building porticos to avoid the rain in Sao Paulo. Many said they have opposed Mr Temer since he took over from Ms Rousseff because they regard her impeachment as politically motivated and illegitimate.

On Sunday, they were protesting against his proposals to loosen labour laws and change the pension system as much as they were responding to the recent allegations.

"We're here to get Temer out of government because he is a coup-leader, because he is against teachers" and other workers, said Tatiana Camargos, a 41-year-old biology teacher.

In Rio de Janeiro, 150 people waved union flags on the boardwalk along Copacabana beach. They signed a giant banner with messages, such as "out with Temer" and "I want a better Brazil".

Another 100 people marched to the house of Rodrigo Maia, speaker of the lower house of Congress, to call for Mr Temer to be ousted and immediate elections.

He has defied calls to resign, saying a recording was doctored and denying any wrongdoing. The recording appears to have Mr Temer endorsing the payment of bribes to ex-House Speaker Eduardo Cunha in exchange for his silence.

Cunha is serving a sentence after a corruption conviction.

Mr Temer has asked the Supreme Federal Tribunal, Brazil's highest court, to suspend its investigation into him - something it is unlikely to do.

Attorney General Rodrigo Janot has accused him of corruption and obstruction of justice in the case before the court.

He said a preliminary analysis of the recording showed that the conversation was logical and coherent and its contents were consistent with the testimony of people cooperating with the prosecutor's office.

Some allied political parties have already withdrawn their support for Mr Temer and others are considering it.

The proposals to change the labour law and pension system have stalled in Congress amid the political turmoil, and many fear the country will remain in limbo for as long as he is in power.